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Boston Newspaper For Sale _ But At What Price?

The Associated Press

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Globe's largest union postponed a meeting with the National Labor Relations Board Tuesday so members could continue talks with management over $10 million in annual wage and benefit concessions the Globe's owner says it needs to keep the newspaper going.

Talks were scheduled to resume at 3 p.m. Tuesday after 13 hours of negotiations Monday. Globe spokesman Robert Powers called Monday's talks "substantive" but said an agreement had not yet been reached.

The New York Times Co. — the owner of the Globe — in April threatened to shut down the 137-year-old newspaper if its unions did not come up with $20 million in concessions — half of that from the Guild.

Last week, after the Guild membership narrowly rejected a new contract with $10 million in concessions, management declared an impasse and imposed a 23 percent pay cut.

The Guild, which represents about 700 editorial, advertising and business employees, then filed an unfair labor complaint with the labor relations board.

A meeting on the complaint had been scheduled for Tuesday, but was postponed until Thursday so the Guild and management can continue negotiations.

Scott Allen, a Globe reporter who serves on the Guild's governing board, said the union postponed the meeting with the labor relations board because Monday's negotiations were "constructive" and the Guild wants the talks to continue.

"The union recognized that it sends a conciliatory signal that their first priority is negotiating a settlement," Allen said.

Guild members say that reducing the size of the pay cut in the earlier contract proposal is a top priority for the union. The rejected proposal called for an 8.3 percent wage cut, five-day unpaid furloughs, cuts in health-care benefits, 401(k) contributions and pensions, and the elimination of lifetime job guarantees for about 190 members.

"The union understands they need to reach the $10 million. It's a question of how do you get to the $10 million. I think they're being creative at the table," Allen said.